Two men convicted of drug-trafficking light each other's cigarette just
before they are executed in Hangzhou, eastern China

CHINA. FAKE OFFICIAL AMONG 24 EXECUTED IN CHINA AHEAD OF NATIONAL DAY

September 29, 2005: it was reported that a man who impersonated a Communist Party official was among at least 24 people executed ahead of China's October 1 National Day holiday. China, which executes more people a year than the rest of the world combined, often puts to death a large number of convicted felons in the days ahead of National Day and other holidays. According to an announcement posted on the Beijing Intermediate People's Court website on September 29, Cao Zhongwu was executed on September 13 for impersonating a Communist Party official and forging documents leading to some 7.03 million yuan (867,000 dollars) in ill-gotten gains. Using his forged documents, Cao, 47, extorted public funds and received large bribes in criminal activity largely committed in Beijing. Also executed on September 29 in northern Shaanxi province were Yang Naijun, Liu Tianshun and Du Songhua, they had been convicted of trafficking heroin. Meanwhile the Supreme People's Court Daily said a hit-and-run driver named Zhu Lin was executed recently in Huainan, Anhui province for premeditated murder when he refused to take the victim to hospital. The victim later died. Other recent executions included Xu Lin, 19, also in Shaanxi province who was shot dead on September 28 for the November 2004 murders of his two roommates, the San Qin Metropolitan Daily said.
The paper earlier reported that six convicted murderers were executed in Baoji city, Shaanxi on September 24. Two of the murderers were involved in crimes of passion, the paper said, while no details of the other four murderers were revealed.
According to the Panshui Intermediate Court in the southern province of Guizhou, four people were executed on September 25 for murder and other violent crimes.
On September 21 in Quanzhou city, Fujian province, Liu Dexin was executed for murdering and robbing a prostitute, while Zhang Jinlan, a prostitute, was executed for killing and robbing one of her customers, the Shishi Daily reported.
On September 23, the Guangzhou Daily reported that Huang Junlin and Luo Linquan were executed "recently" for the kidnap and murder of a businessman and the theft of 2.74 million yuan.
Also on September 23 the China Court Daily reported the executions of four criminals in Dezhou in the eastern province of Shandong after they were convicted for violent crimes including murder, rape and armed robbery. (Sources: Agence France Presse, 29/09/2005)